December Fades

Interview With December Fades

SBS:  Welcome to our pages!  Whether you’ve been here with us in some way before, or you’re brand-new to the site, it’s probably best to get an introduction from you so that we get everyone on the same page to start.  Tell us a little bit about the history of your music, and what’s happening with it lately!?!

December Fades:  I’ve been making music my whole life; mostly instrumentals, Rock riffs, piano compositions, and co-writing in bands.  But it took a broken heart and depression to force me to open up and let out the pain and suffering and find songwriting; an essential catharsis.  It saved my life!  I immediately fell in love with songwriting, and eventually thought that maybe I could shop my songs to artists.  After a few years of writing and facing my fears of singing in public, I gained the courage to become the artist.  Ten years ago I started releasing music under the artist name December Fades.

I’m currently working on several songs which will be part of a summer release.  I will release a few singles followed by an EP that consists of new songs and some previously released singles.

I also have a music video being edited for my song, “It’s Not Goodbye.”  It was shot in beautiful El Salvador and should be coming out sometime this summer.  I’m super excited about it!

SBS:  Let’s talk about the before and after of where you’re currently at.  What’s something about the music that you’re making now that you don’t think you could have done five years ago, and what’s something you think you’ll be able to do with your music five years from now that you can’t do today?  How have you grown as an artist/band, and what steps do you take to continue your artistic evolution?

December Fades:  You wouldn’t know it because I don’t release music often, but I’ve gotten really fast at creating new songs and finishing them, thanks to working with sync agencies that send me “briefs,” which are like wanted-ads for tv and film.  It gives me direction and a DEADLINE so I can focus and finish.  I can be a distracted perfectionist with option paralysis.  Not a great mix for cranking out tunes, but I’m getting better at finishing things and allowing imperfections.

My writing and production skills have grown significantly.  I have a much better understanding of phrasing, space, melody, and theme.  I know how to better support the theme, and what the songs need, when to play, and when not to play.

I have gained so much experience with writing and production; I can really dial in the parts.  I know what the song needs and where to trim the fat.  I think having a scratch vocal, as long as it will remain the core of the melody, is essential when working on production.  I generally overplay when creating musical parts.  Having the vocal melody present enables me to support the melody rather than walk all over it.  My awareness of phrasing and space has also improved dramatically.  It’s really the key for making a song sound complete, cohesive, and makes the mixing process a whole lot easier.  It lets the song breathe and everything to be heard.  Also, having a featured instrument and knowing when to take it in and out.  Oh and THEME!!  My understanding of the importance of theme is WAY better than before.  Start with a theme or hook, echo that theme in different instruments or voices, and layer things playing it in unison or octaves.  Every song is its own thing, but this type of production for Pop really works.  I also know that everything I play or write does NOT have to be used.  I can mute it, delete it, simplify it, refine it, and/or duck it in a mix and have it be felt rather than heard.  It can be subtle and act as texture.  There are no rules.  I believe it comes down to what delivers a clear message both lyrically and emotionally.  Do I understand it, does it sound good?  Do I like it?  Then it’s going to be great.

I’m doing my best to get the fuck out of my own way!  Trying to make decisions faster, not overthink, not tear myself down, and just to be focused, make the music, fall in love with music, and have fun.

In 5 years I hope to be scoring films.

I will continue to evolve by pushing my boundaries and taking more risks.  I will say yes to more opportunities and no to situations or people that bring me down.  I just submitted for the BMI Composer Lab, an intensive workshop, and I’m hoping to reach a new level in my career as a composer.

SBS:  If you were to assess the overall health of the independent music scene right now, what would you say?  What are the positives and the negatives about the current state of independent music, and what do you feel like artists & bands can do to contribute to the community & help it grow beyond the music being made?  If you’re not actively looking to listen to the music of other independent artists/bands, is it really all that fair to expect anyone would listen to yours?  How do you help the scene around you grow?

December Fades:  I think we’re all distracted by stupid Spotify playlists and numbers.  Spotify sucks!  I guess it’s a necessary evil.  Just don’t get down about it.  Good music is good music.  It doesn’t matter how many followers or likes they have.  Art is art.  By the way, I use Tidal, they pay the artist 4x as much per stream.  So, I’m at least giving more to the artists I like.

I’d like to see more indie showcases, indie festivals, and house concerts.  I think cross-pollination is a huge thing that would help a lot of indie artists.  We need to be more supportive of each other instead of competitive.

Anyone can make and release music now; which is both good and bad.  Everyone is free to do whatever they want with no label telling them what they can and can’t do.  That’s amazing!  The bad thing is there is a sea of noise because it’s easier than ever.  Some people think they’re special because they put together a few pre-existing loops.  On the other hand, some people have a true gift with that sort of thing; finding interesting samples and loops that make the production stand out.  I prefer creating and playing the loops, but on the rare occasion if I do use something I gotta manipulate it to make it my own, perform with the loop, if that makes sense.  Like creating a whole different rhythm out of it.

Bands and artists could support each other better.  There are some cool communities and showcases in LA like Monday Monday, Open Folk, and Not Another Showcase at a great venue called Hotel Cafe.  Jesse and Friends Mix & Mingle is a cool and unique event for networking for songwriters, artists, producers, musicians, and engineers.  Artists names are drawn from the “Banger Bucket,” and then are brought on stage to play a recorded version of a demo or released song as well as short  intro/interview.

I like to celebrate each other’s accomplishments.  It’s a big deal to finish and release music -singles, EP’s, albums, music videos, play shows, tours, and get new gear.  I repost a story when a friend of mine releases something.  I’ll congratulate them and share it.  We have to celebrate the wins and victories, even the small ones.  I also support artists at shows whenever possible.

SBS:  What do you consider to be the biggest accomplishment or achievement you’ve had with your music to-date?  How do you personally measure your own success – is that something that even can be measured?  Is it awards, accolades, chart position…or is your definition of success based on something entirely different?  Should success, however you define it, be something that artists are continually focused on – or is success something that naturally occurs in the course of doing what you love to do?

December Fades:  Both of my music videos have won several awards in film festivals.  It’s such a joy to see your hard work being played on the big screen!  However, I feel like my biggest accomplishment is my overall growth; I’m learning to set boundaries, I’m learning to get out of my own way.  I’m knowing and owning that I am truly on this planet to create, make, and share music.  If I get out of the way, let the music evolve, and enjoy the ride, it is such a magical experience.  Allowing the song to materialize, not forcing it (unless there is a deadline for a music brief) is so important.

SBS:  When you’re working on something brand-new, and something about it just doesn’t feel like it’s coming together the way that you think it should, how do you know when it’s time to give up on it, or how do you know that it’s time to dig in even harder and find a way to make it work?  Are there distinct red flags you can hear when something’s not working?  What are the signs you look for that tell you to stop forcing the material?  What would actually encourage you to keep going with the process instead?

December Fades:  Sometimes it’s not the right song to work on; or maybe not the one to work on at this time.  I know when to move on when I hit a wall.  I did it yesterday!  My plan was to work and finish this new song of mine, “Young Love.”  I was SO productive for several days in a row, and then hit a wall.  Unfortunately, I wasted a lot of time trying to force it.  You gotta listen to your body.  I eventually realized that I was burnt out on this song.  I had to remind myself that it’s ok to step away and take a break.  So I pulled up another song, got inspired, excited, and have been super productive on it.

Awareness is key.  Changing your environment; just walking into the next room can help.  I might take a bathroom break, stretch, sit outside for a few minutes, go for a walk, hike, take a shower, or go for a drive.  That break allows the over-analytical part of my brain to calm down and lets the creative side come through.  Some of the best melodies have come to me when I’m driving.  I’ll listen to a rough idea I recorded and can sing along with no judgement.  Having the task of driving enables me to not overthink.  Ideas often come pouring out.

Depending on my level of frustration, I may need a few days, weeks, months, even years.  If I start disliking the song and feeling like I’m not good enough, then it’s time for a long break.  If I’m feeling terrible about myself, it’s definitely time to step away and maybe call it a night.  This feeling comes after overworking the song.  The next day if I love it, I know it’s worth spending more time on it.

SBS:  One of the points of general consensus in the art of making music, is that we all get our sound from somewhere…we hear what we like, then more often than not, we take tiny pieces of what we love to find our own voice & approach to go on and make music in our own way.  Essentially, what I’m saying is that it’s absolutely natural to be inspired by other artists/bands, and almost every artist/band ends up having that inspiration show up in their own work in some way, shape, or form.  What the real key is though, is retaining your own organic perspective – you still wanna be original too, right?  So how do you go about doing that?  Are there artists or bands that you know have been an influence on your style & sound?  How were you able to incorporate that influence without becoming too noticeably derivative and still be yourself?  Should we embrace and celebrate our influences more than we do?  It’s almost like we try not to admit influences exist in the pursuit of being original, but it’s like, bruh…if it’s there, we can hear it.  We all borrow something from those that came before us to some extent, don’t we?

December Fades:  Everything has an influence on me.  For me, I don’t try to sound like anyone.  I just start creating.  Once there is a creative spark I just need to give it time to develop and evolve.  It may remind me of something, but I don’t try to sound like an artist.  I may try to emulate a vibe.  I’ll have no idea where it’s headed or what it’ll sound like when it’s fully produced.  It’s like painting or sculpting; it usually starts with a mood or feeling that grows into a hook.  I want to go on a journey and tell a story.  Sure certain riffs or sounds remind of other artists or songs.  I never seek to sound like them.  I may love a sound like a fatty fat snare and be influenced to thicken up my snare.  It’s a delicate balance.  It all comes down to: does it invoke a feeling or immediately transport you to a new place, and do I like it?  I let each song be its own thing and have its own voice and story.

If it’s a music brief, they actually want a specific sound, tempo, genre, style, lyrical theme, and voice.  Sometimes they’ll give you three very different examples.  I’ll listen for a few seconds and get the feel and vibe.  I’ll probably come back and reference it a few times.  But ultimately, I have to let the song go where it wants to go.  This has given me the opportunity to have a bigger catalog and expand my style.  If it doesn’t get chosen, well I might just have a new song to release.  Or I may go in and put a little December Fades into it to make it my own.

I just love well-crafted music and executed, emoted music.  It doesn’t matter the style.

Also, I almost always manipulate whatever sound I’m using to have more vibe or create some sort of darkness or nostalgic feeling.

SBS:  Has there ever been a time where you wrote something inside one of your songs…maybe it’s a lyrical line, or maybe it’s a riff of some kind…something that you did, where you surprised yourself?  I like to think we all have a moment or two where we can stand back and be amazed by something we created, and appreciate the fact that maybe, just maybe, we exceeded our own expectations of what we thought we could accomplish – you know what I mean?  Get as specific as you can so the fans out there know what they should be paying attention to when they hear it – what’s your favorite thing that you’ve written on the inside of one of your songs, and why does this particular piece resonate so much to you?

December Fades:  Totally!!  Sometimes one sound or melody change can dramatically make the song into a whole different thing; it happens a lot.  It could even be a “mistake.”  In fact, mistakes are sometimes the best thing that happened to the song!!  Maybe I accidentally shifted a sound earlier or later, and it just created a really interesting rhythm.  Maybe I added the wrong plugin, or I’ll just throw a random plugin on and see what happens to the sound.  It’s important to explore, be open-minded, and flexible.

SBS:  I’ve been having a lot of great debates lately about whether or not everybody that’s making music has the right to be heard…and you’d probably be surprised by how different people seem to feel about this issue.  I know where I stand on it, and I think you can all probably get an idea of what my position would be from this free interview we’re doing here & the way we run things at sleepingbagstudios…but regardless, I’m putting this question out there to you, because I’m interested in YOUR perspective.  Just because you’ve made a song, does that mean people should listen?  If your answer is yes, do your best to explain why you feel that way & why we should make a sincere effort to listen to the music of others.  If your answer is no, explain why you feel that way, but also explain why people should still be listening to your music if that’s the case – what would make your music the exception, and not follow the rule?  Is there any value to an idea that’s not finished, or a song in its demo stages, or maybe something that’s not recorded in a top-shelf studio or with good equipment – somebody still took the time to make that song to the best of their ability with the means they had to create it – should that be listened to, or not?

December Fades:  A good song evokes emotion, takes you on a journey, has a solid groove, relatable lyrics, and/or a unique story, and is well-crafted; it deserves to be heard!  You can hear when music has heart and soul in it.  That type of authenticity should be listened to.

I put a lot of time, effort, and detail into every part of the song, from the songwriting, to production, to the mixing.  So I would hope they would listen to my song.

I think everyone has the right to make music.  Should it be released?  Maybe not.  Should it be heard? Maybe, maybe not.  Was it therapeutic for them?  Probably.

Should everyone be a comedian?  Definitely not.  Same with music.  Can they tell a joke?  Sure if they want to.  Do they deserve to be heard?  If they can make people laugh and deliver.  Otherwise, stick to telling jokes to your friends and family.

SBS:  There are ups and downs in the dynamics of almost every album we listen to, with very few exceptions.  Even those exceptions, probably still come down to more of a personal preference about what we enjoy about music and how we personally hear it, rather than anything being completely and totally “perfect” – you know what I mean?  Does an album actually need to have some kind of up/down dynamics in terms of what’s appealing to the masses in order for the best of the best songs in a lineup to be fully appreciated?  Wouldn’t every artist & band avoid the ‘down’ side (less accessible/less popular for example) if they could?  Does the ‘down’ side represent something else perhaps, like the story of an album or journey of an artist?  Is the ‘up’ side of a record as potent or noticeable if it doesn’t have a ‘down’ side to go with it?  Would a completely balanced album somehow be boring if it didn’t have the ups/downs that most have?  Do we HAVE to like every single song on a record for it to be considered complete?  Are the dynamics of an album something anyone can really steer in the direction they want to, or are all artists & bands simply going with the strongest material they have created at the time?

December Fades:  Personally, I like to release my strongest material.  For my music, if it doesn’t have a hook or isn’t engaging, it shouldn’t be released.  It probably needs more work.  Not to say every song has to have a huge Pop hook.  Some songs can be more cathartic or creative.  But it has to have a vibe, a strong melody, and be something I’m proud to release.

SBS:  I wanna send out a shout-out to YOU from me personally – I appreciate everyone that has taken the time to talk tunes with me throughout the years, and I appreciate the time YOU have taken with this interview too.  Because this one’s a little different in the sense that it’s been sent out to multiple people and is a little more generic in that regard, I have no doubt whatsoever that we probably didn’t get to talk to you about something you wanted to talk about – so let’s fix that!  This final space is what we call the SBS Open Floor – a spot where you can say anything else you want to say to the people out there.  It can be anything at all…your main websites…something else you want them to know about you and/or your music…your favorite bands in the scene right now…the secret 11 herbs and spices to the Colonel’s secret recipe – you get the idea, and it’s probably best you choose something that suits you rather than take any of my suggestions, but feel free to take the SBS Open Floor for a ride.  Whatever it is you want the people to know, now is the prime time for you to tell’em!  Thanks again for everything – keep in touch!

December Fades:  Thanks for your interest.  New music and a new music video will be coming out this summer!  In the meantime you can check out my other music videos.  Follow me for updates.  I appreciate you all for your support!!

Find out more about December Fades from the official links below!

“Crash and Burn” Official Music Video

“Sunrise” Official Music Video

https://www.instagram.com/decemberfades/

https://www.facebook.com/decemberfades/

https://www.tiktok.com/@decemberfadesmusic

https://www.bandsintown.com/a/12956874-december-fades

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